Woo huuu...

I love Fridays and Saturdays! They complete the week neatly.

Had piano lesson ytd and it was the best so far. All the hours of practices paid off!!!! Think my teacher was quite pleased... Phew... She pasted 2 'medal' stickers in the book for conquering 2 movements.. LOL.. She's so cute la! Anyway while playing a piece for her... My mind drifted away, I was thinking of what the people in church were doing at that moment cos I was already late... And it was quite amazing, my fingers were actually moving on their own! It was as if they had their own life... I was pretty amused by that.. But she still commented that my fingers are weak!!! Lol jialat. How.................

I don't know, recently I am a little obsessed with piano... Whenever I'm out, I wish I am at home playing... The feeling is quite disturbing sometimes... Hmm... But it's good! My passion is burning ever stronger as each day passes... I hope it will never grow cold! Come Beethoven! Please possess me! LOL.. Waha... But then again... Beethoven was a bit eccentric actually... Just like many other musicians......

Had cello lesson at my teacher's house today cos NAFA didn't have vacant rooms... I still think that cello is quite tough esp. for smaller hands... Ahhh... A lot of techniques to master... Hmmm.... Patience is the key!!! Anyway after lesson his bro drove us to the Esplanade to watch a concert... There was a cello concerto by Wang Jian together with the SSO... And his bro performed in it as well, playing the violin... So cool la. Wang Jian was really really good with his cello... The sounds he produced were soooo pure...

I think it will take me more than a lifetime to do that...

Anyway, if you are free and feeling bored... You can watch "Nodame Cantabile Live Action" on crunchyroll.. Recommended by MengChing! It's quite interesting and funny hahaha.. Haven't completed watching though haha...

Yesterday night was really nice. I can finally stay at home! Cai dropped by my house for a little chat and I taught her a bit of the piano since my house is pretty boring for visitors. Hahahaha... OH by the way, she's officially a swimming coach now! I'm so proud of her. Really...

We should just do what we are good at despite what others may think/say. I mean, we know ourselves best right? It annoys me a lot when people want me to do things that I know I'm not meant to do... And I thought it was said many times before that we were all designed for different purposes? Why then are so many people pursueing the same goal I wonder... And some even depises the dreams others are chasing. Even the bible tells us to MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS.

So Cai, I think that was very courageous of you.

Heck what people say. That's my motto. Hahahaha... No la erm.. I shall think of a more profound one.. lol..

I was lying on my bed with the light on and thinking about God... I made a simple prayer... The same thing I always tell God every time I pray... And God never fails to show up each time... well nobody would get tired of someone praising and thanking him/her all the time right. And I know that He was in my room last night... It was really nice... Ok set. I shall tidy up my room more often maybe then God will stay there... Lol..

Cai thought that it was nice standing by my window and talk to God... Which I totally agree! Somehow my window's view makes one damn emo at night... Lol...

I love MengChing. Simply cos she's a real person and such people are hard to come by... Really gotta treasure her dearly...

And I'd rather be an anomaly than be associated with the so called "in" group... I think cliques are so secondary school where everyone goes in a herd. I mean, you don't need another person to define who you are right.

I LOVE/miss being alone spending time by myself... Especially love being alone at home, playing my piano as loudly as I fancy... And loved those times I rollerbladed alone at East Coast, resting while reading a good book by the beach... It was pure joy. I get real comfy with myself...

And don't we just wish that we do not have handphones... Sometimes..

Hmmm... Had cello lesson today and I think my progression is rather wols.................. Haven't been practising... It's quite frustrating cos I am normally only settled down around 11pm... And by that time it's too late already... Others need to sleep... Really hope I can practise more so that I can learn more... But I feel it's ok to be wols as long as every time I practise, I improve slightly...

I think musicianship is tough... You need to constantly encourage yourself... It's quite a lonely journey... And so whatever little encouragement from others is deeply appreciated. They are the ones which give me the hope and strength to go on... Having a clear vision of where you are heading also adds on the push...

In the first place, nobody said it was easy...

Gathered from 2nd hand info, orchestras may look glam outwardly, but off stage, all hell break loose. Maybe not to that extent but maybe it's not too different also... It's quite sad to hear... Aiya... It's best not to get involved in any politics and just play your stuff... Hope it doesn't happen in our orchestra...

Anyway, if you are interested, there will be a free performance at the Esplanade by the SSO on 16 October.

Oh, and yesterday was pretty interesting... Had piano lesson and my teacher wanted me to use less pressure on my left hand since it's only an accompaniment. So my right hand was supposed to sound louder than my left... I freaked out cos my previous teacher didn't teach me how to. So she taught me a method and after that I was pretty amazed that I could actually do it!! LOL.. It was magical.. LOL... Phew... I can quite predict her reaction if I can't correct my mistakes on the spot... So man... My tension level is quite high... Thankfully most of the time I am able to and you could almost see her heaved a sigh of relief............ But it's fine, I like this type of pressure on my piano since I want to push myself more...

If she teaches me cello... I would die. Fast and clean.

Anyway, after lesson my dad called and invited me to join his cg for dinner at Riverside Point.. It was the first time I met the whole cg and it was nice. Haha... Adults are quite weird in a way...

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And yu hu~ My pay's coming soooon... =) So many things I wanna buy...

1) cello case, 200+
2) a set of cello strings, 150-200
3) cello endpin holder, 20+
4) cello stand
5) get my piano tuned, 60
6) piano cover, 70+

lol... that's about it... Most urgent one would be 5)... It hasn't been tuned for years........

Other than music stuff, I hardly spend my money on anything else since I don't go out often anyway... Feel like I've been possessed. LOL... But it's fine.... I'm loving it~ lol

"There is hope in every heartbeat, tiny as it seems."
- Corrinne May

Phew...~

It's been a quite a day... In fact I think most of my days are pretty interesting... Unusual things happen all the time...

Received a call from a fellow cellist and she said something which affected me quite a bit... So I was quite down for the rest of the day... Thankfully she didn't call too early... Left work earlier so I could practise a little bit of cello first before orchestra prac but realised my colleague took my house key... At that point my sian level was at 8/10 already... Totally... So I waited for an hour plus for my dad to open the door while lingering at jp........ I felt quite bad as he had to rush back to work... Idiot me... Did my thanks and sorrys so he was cool...

Father: Remember if next time I have any urgent need, it's your turn to come...

Ok Sir. Anything for you Sir. Your wish is my command Sir. *Irritating...* Lol..

Orchestra prac was fine... Learnt a new song and the cello part was quite lax so my sian level dropped to 6.5/10... Attendence was rather bad though... Hmmm....

On my way home... An EGYPTIAN came up and talked to me... He asked what was the thing I was carrying and went on to make small talks... So I found out that he was a sailor who had sailed from Egypt... He asked if I was free tmr... GIVE ME A BREAK... As we all ought to know, sailors and footballers are famous for this one infamous thing. I'm smarter than that... Boo. At the end of it all, he gave me a coin from his country... It's quite unique, maybe I should auction it... Waha..

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Was supposed to meet Jeff last night for a steamboat dinner, but my cello teacher invited me to watch his concert also... So I dragged Jeff along with me hahaha... I was quite impressed with the harpist, I haven't known how to differentiate (dy/dx... Lol) the strings on a harp.. Hmmm... And in any orchestra, I will spend 80% of the time observing the cellists... They never fail to captivate me!!!! I mean, the cello is such a beautiful instrument... And the sound it produces is the nicest amidst all other instrumentss'!! In my opinion that is. =) Wish I can play like them one fine day... Yes yes slowly but surely! (It takes quite a bit of faith to say that... Considering my present standard...........)

Talking about cello makes me excited la. Hahaha... But of course I still have a long way to go... Corrinne May wrote in one of her songs "Don't give up on me... I'm on my way..." Ya! Don't give up on me too... Hahaha.. But really playing the cello is quite a challenge... And my teacher has been very patient with me already....... And I gotta confess that I haven't been practising hard enough... Hmm......

Anyway, recently... Hmmm... Nvm.. Lol... Irritating...

*The mystery of Your wonderous love*

Today was kinda special...

Sat with MengChing during service... Woo I know I'm gonna miss her in a few more weeks... Hmmm... So after service, I got the news that I was involved in a video shoot... Hope that I didn't look stupid... LOL... It was real impromptu...


That's MengChing! She's a gem. =)

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Met my tuition kids after everything.. And we spent 4 hours at JP... We went to the arcade and all the toy stores... You know what I felt like? A mum. LOL.. They ran around and stuff and of cos I wouldn't wanna chase them like a mother hen.. LOL... Something quite cute+embarrassing happened at the arcade.. LOL... Vivian la!!! We were at the basketball area and she SHOUTED "Teacher!!! Got 2 free basketballs!!!" There was quite a large crowd watching her as she tried to shoot those balls in with all her might.. LOL.. The second ball actually went in and I heard a "Wah kao..." from a guy standing behind.. LOL... After it went in she was so happy and came running to my side... At that point my face was flushing already but thankfully it was quite dark there LOL.. Kids are so oblivious to their surrounding!!!

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Gonna meet them tmr for tuition again... Phew~ I don't know why, but I feel a need to be committed in their lives, not just for the money (btw I'm underpaid), but hmmm really getting into their lives... And hopefully be the someone they can confide in... Hmmm... Glad that their parents trust me enough to bring them out today... But no doubt, it was tiring but rather fun haha..
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Have been spending a lot on music recently... Close to 500 just this month alone... It's quite outrageous... "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Little things add up to much... But it's fine... I don't feel like I've wasted a single cent... *sings* "All for love's sake, became pooooor..." (Of cos that's a downright misinterpretation hahaha)

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Finally conquered a sonatina tonight... Felt/feel quite ecstatic!! =) I think that's the joy of playing music - To transform printed black notes into colourful melodies that linger in the air... Ok ok that's a bit exaggerated but the idea is there LOL... Then again, sometimes I am capable of producing noise that pollutes the air... HAHAHA...

What's with taxi drivers nowadays...? Yaya we want more drivers around... But if the quality is compromised... Hmmm........

Got quite pissed off today by taxi driversss...
1) A driver told a group of us to get out of the cab after he had driven a distance as the place that we wanted to go wasn't convenient for him as he was changing shift... So he dropped us at a bus stop where it was so hard to get a cab.. *@#! Irritating bug.

2) After 10 agonising mins we got another cab... And this guy didn't know where Mount Sinai Drive is..... !#&!%(* He said he would TRY... So fine, we were running late anyway... But what happened was... He wanted me to flip the road directory FOR HIM... My piss level was at around 8/10 already... But for the sake of reaching there, I flipped while he called his friend.. Ok so good, he finally sounded like he knew how to get there...

However, at one point, my gut feeling told me he was going the wrong way... And so I questioned him... True enough, he told me he turned the wrong direction... ..... My piss level rose to 9/10.. He told us that he would give us a discount.. But that's not that point... He should just confess first before I had to ask right... Then maybe my piss level will only be at 8.5... In the end he took us for an unneeded tour around Buona Vista...

Imagine if you are to attend an important function and turn up late... Giving the stupid excuse that the taxi driver loses his way... Though it may be true, but it is damn unconvincing isn't it...

3) I took another cab to NAFA for cello lesson... I held my breath when the driver doesn't know where NAFA is... I mean it really isn't obscure at all and I thought it is quite a well-known school in Sg... But at least he knew where Bencoolen road is.... Phew....... Nightmare in bright daylight..

Taxi drivers really should do their homework... It's not as if Sg is that big... And it's not the responsibility of the customers to tell them how to get to where isnt it... At least for the more prominant places... Furthermore, most of the time we need a cab becos we need to get to places FAST... So hmmm...

Erm... Sorry if I complained too much hahaha, I don't normally do that but today I had some totally unbelievable encounterS with taxi drivers all at once... So.. haha.. Plus, I asked 3 persons for the number to call a cab and I received 3 different numbers... AAAAAHHHHH..... Don't know to laugh or to cry hahahaha...

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Hmmm.... Some things are damn complicated... Too much for my puny brain... JunYang said "No guts no glory"... But as a song goes "Wise men say only fools rush in"... So sometimes, having guts can lead to gory endings. No guts no gory. YES. Hmmm... Maybe ignorance is bliss...

What do you think?

I find myself getting real fussy over the use of words recently... In a newspaper article some time ago, it was written that a guy had "poor short-term memory"... I went "What?? So you mean he has good memory?" .......... Another one in a book, it was written "newly edited edition".. I went.. *-_-* Can't they just put "new edition"... Seems like I have nothing better to be irritated over... Hahaha.. But things like that can quite stir me up.. A little..

Had piano lesson yesterday... I think the teacher is kinda cute... Lol... She looks like an ant... LOL... I mean the cute type... LOL.. But I'm quite afraid to make mistakes during lesson cos she will normally play the melody line along with me using an octave higher... So if I pause or play the wrong note, she can't go on and she will give 'that' face... Lol... So most of the time I have to be on my guard... But it's fine... She commented that I could handle the songs well... But she also pointed out my bad habit while playing and noticed that my fingers were a little weak... Which I went "Yayaya!!!" So it's really good to have those bad points coming to light so I can improve on them...

My fingers are really giving me quite a bit of problem.. It's even worse on the cello!!! How... hmmm...

Met JunYang (again!) after my lesson and we went to Vivo (again!)... Lol... I'm always meeting him after 9pm.. Lol... It's quite hard to dig out time nowadays... It was quite nice yesterday cos he kept coming up with thought-provoking issues... But after a long day, it's quite hard to give intelligent ideas hahahaha... Spare meee....

Today's tuition was really quite fun!!! LOL...

Vivian's house had an exciting atmosphere... I didn't know why... I kept asking her "Why is everyone so happy today??" Lol... We did something light since they have seen me for third time this week already... At first I got kinda freaked out as another girl (Kelly) went silent for the first half an hour...

"Are you sad?"
*shook head*
"Someone bullied you?"
*shook head*

Silent treatment!!! Halfway through while they were doing their stuff, Joe called and asked me about a song and so I had to leave and sing for him lol.. When I came back, Vivian told me Kelly actually forgot to bring her English book, that was why she was moody and stuff... It was very *chey..~* !!! Kids can be quite cute, troubling over such trivial matters. Hahaha...

And Vivian... She always sabotages me!!! Today was the ultimate!!! She suddenly screamed "Aileeeeeen! Melvin kor kor (her house's tenant) dui ni yi jian zhong qing!!!" I swear her neighbours could hear... I was damn embarrassed cos everyone was home... I told them I wanna quit!!!! Lol....

One more thing happened, towards the end of the lesson, Kelly suddenly brought out her test paper... She left it faced down on the table... In my mind I went "Oh noooo.... Did she fail or something..." But when I flipped open, I had a vv pleasant surprise! She did well and got 2nd in class!! I was so so happy... Lol... So I promised to bring them out this Sunday... LOL... And they were excited and stuff.. But really, I don't know what to do with them Hahaha!... Thought they would like Ratatouille!!! But I've watched it.. Hmmmmm.... Actually I don't have to worry, kids have a thousand crazy ideas... Hahaha...

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Anyway, I think my dad is quite cool... He still mused over a waitress' blab at the restuarant last Sunday... He called her a "Screwhead"... SCREWHEAD!!! I didn't know to laugh or what when he used that word yesterday... LOL... So if any funny words come out of me, you know who I learnt it from hehehehe...

"Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit."
Napoleon Hill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Hill (read for fun)

This week seems like a tuition marathon!!! Gotta go thrice as I have to do make-up lessons since I was down last week and their exams are nearing... But it's fine, the girls have been good so far... And I'm so proud of one of them!!! She topped her class in English last week! It came as a pleasant surprise... =) Must be those hangmans we played LOL.. She is always absent from schools due to her frequent medical checkups and stuff, to the extent that she once misread "National University of Singapore" as "National University Hospital"... =( I felt quite sad then...

She's always so passionately telling me about Pokemon stuff... And giving me Pokemon stickers... LOL... I don't know what to do with them... LOL.. She gave me a Teachers' Day card yesterday, it was quite cute... In it was written, "Dear Aileen, thank you for teaching me English, Maths and Science for tuition, although I don't like maths, but thanks. Yours sincerely, Vivian Yu =)" LOL.. Yes she really doesn't like maths. Especially %. LOL... Sometimes the little devil in her manifests - she will sulk and whine and throw tantrum and stuff... It's real frustrating... But I hope it's worth my tolerance at the end of the day/year...

Hmm... I realised one thing today. The marketplace is where reality is starkly evinced... The people can't get any more real - Women like rich men and men like pretty women. It's quite scary how they aren't a little bit discrete about it... Hmm... It's quite distressing.

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how."
- Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher

Read for fun -> http://www.icla.org/leukemia/leukem/leukemi.htm

Hehehe another great day.

We had a guest speaker today and he is Nick Vujicic. You can check him out at his website: http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/ He said this "God is so perfect that He will not make a mistake." God intentionally created us the way we are together with all our weaknesses and strengths.. If you believe that. He set me thinking about what I'm doing with this one life that I have... Hmm... Have I even tapped on the potential inside of me? Hmm...

Met dear Bird in the late afternoon at Orchard for a drink and a chat... Actually, I love her a lot!! But I'm quite shy to tell her.. So I'm publicly announcing here. Lol.. I'm full of contradiction. Had a heart-to-heart chat with her... Have you ever made a DIY 'telephone'? The one with a string connecting 2 cups... I think we both felt that way... Somehow our hearts are connected in some way.. Hmm...

After that I met my dad for dinner and shopping at Vivo (Again!!!) He wanted to eat at his favourite restaurant - The Imperial Herbal Restaurant. It used to be located at Beach Road but is under renovation now..

Looking intellectual as he read the menu.. Lol..

Braised Turtle! And no we didn't order that.. haha.. They have some other weird stuff...

The bill added up to a whopping $184.80.. For 2 persons! LOL.. The food was really great so we (Erm.. him...) didn't feel shortchanged... The service was excessively fine, I felt like I was being watched throughout...... Lol... Nvm, I was eating with my dad... Not bf or sth.. hahaha..

After dinner, we went shopping around... And as always, I ended up with nothing... But he bought 2 tops. Guys....

Me: You anyhow buy one!

Him: No not anyhow, I was decisive...

Erm... I am also a decisive person actually, I decided what I didn't want to buy. LOL...

And yes! It feel sooo good to be healthy again!!!!!!! Suddenly there is life! No more rhinitis, tonsilitis, influenza and fever! Lol.... Super act chim.. Go ahead and say "Whateverrr.." again. Lol..

*Is Jesus enough for you?*

What a fun day hehehe.

Had combined cg at Riverwalk and then our cg walked down to Suntec for the food fair and joined the rest of the hungry people LOL.. It was really quite fun hanging out with my cg... =) Then I gotta rush for cello lesson... So today, I had to carry the cello everywhere... And again a lot of people mistook it for a guitar Aiyo. Someone volunteered to carry it for me cos he thought it looked cool and wanted to attract some attention from girls......... LOL.. Ok........... lol...

And yu hu! I finally caught the rat show! With junyang the birthday boy... We watched it at JP and met a lot of other JJcians... zzz. JP is where JJcians hang out... Even on a weekend... It can't get any more boring... Haha.. Anyway, I thought the plot was really good! But it was a totally predictable show and the rats are rather gross at times wahaha... Oh I shan't say too much here. Haha.. And as predicted, there was a great bunch of kids la. I told him "Aren't the kids supposed to be asleep now?" Lol. Goodness, they laughed at every little thing at the beginning... But the theatre grew quieter near the end and I suspected they must had fallen asleep. lol...

And hmmm, recently there are a few people who lied to me... And till now they are still in oblivion that I actually knew they lied. Most of the time I know when people lie, but I choose to stay nonchalant. At the end of the day, I don't gain/lose anything anyway, it's themselves that they are causing harm to. I'm more of the observer so I'm quite sensitive to people's body language and stuff.. Muahaha... But I just keep it silent in my heart... I remember once I exposed someone's lie to her, and she was quite taken aback. But inside me shouted "Bingo!!" LOL.. So it's quite fun lol..

We should really just face the music if we have to... I mean music... It can't be that awful right... Hahaha... It's an interesting idiom gotta check out the origin.. Haha.. http://www.idiomsite.com/facethemusic.htm
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/131650.html

Finally went to work today! Been quite sick recently and so I stayed home most of the time.. Haven't seen my friends since last Saturday! Hahaha.. Boss went to play golf today so I left early since there's nothing much to do.. LOL.. Someone commented that I'm a cheapskate. LOL.. Hmph.

Went to Vivo only to realise that I haven't missed out much... I was so near Sentosa!!! Really wished I could be at the beach playing vball. Those were the days eons ago. Anyway, I'm anticipating the night rollerblading with YeeKiat!!!! Gotta make sure it come to past Lol... It'll be so very cool. And gotta get a new pair of blades soon! I want a Salomon one! Hahaha.. Mine's breaking into pieces already...

Anyway, today! I had my first piano lesson after around 3 years. I really missed it... It was fine, the teacher commented that my sight-reading was good and so I can learn more repertoire other than boring exam pieces. So was kinda encouraged... But she tends to get a little impatient sometimes and I will start to kanchiong!! But I guess it's the good type of kanchiong-ness cos then I will put in more effort haha.. I'm pretty cool with her mild impatience as I will psycho myself to think that she thinks quite highly of me that's why she's not happy when I make mistakes! Hahahah.. Go ahead and say a loud "Whatever!!!" LOL..

But I think she's really good, I feel quite stretched haha.. She kept telling me not to look at the keyboard and to learn to FEEL it... Ok so I'll work on that... And she taught me how to use the sustainer the right way.. Finally I know!! It was quite a relief... Gotta work on that too.. But one thing, she kept having doubts on whether I can chiong my Grade 5 theory by March next yr... and I kept having to convince her so it was quite irritating!!!

Thou shall not complain!!! lol..

Argh. I'm convicted now... I can't live with someone who can't appreciate music... It's the nearest thing to hell on earth... Downright frustrating when you can't play music when you want to... It's as good as being in a prison... It's a mental torture altogether.

And it's not that I play it THAT badly...
I wish people can just leave me alone...

http://www.arcamax.com/technology/q-1098

-For those who missed Bio.

The past 2 days have been Terrorble... Missed Sunday service and SOT graduation ceremony! Didn't work today too... Not feeling well.. So I spent last night learning the first page of my blog's song and have been addicted to it ever since... The rest are more challenging.. waha.. But Yang can play it!!!

Anyway, went to watch a concert with Steph last Saturday at the Esplanade... It was by the SSO and there was a piano concerto by this really really cute guy. He was really awesome. It always amazes me how pianists can remember the entire score!!!

Sergio Tiempo... Oh my gosh.

!!!

Ok chill... Maybe I'm just biased towards musicians LOL..